Florida chef grew worried when an elderly customer who came every day for 10 years disappeared — tracking him down changed everything
Regular customers often shared a special bond with restaurant workers, especially when the food bridges their friendship. But when one regular customer stopped showing up to this restaurant, the cook went above and beyond to save his life. Reported by CBS on December 13, 2025, the chef's heart to look out for the man lead to a shocking discovery. The 78-year-old customer had been a frequent visitor at the Florida restaurant for over 10 years.
Donell Stallworth is the cook of the Shrimp Basket on Navy Blvd. in Pensacola. He has always treated his customers like family, but there was one customer who was special. 78-year-old Charlie Hicks has been a frequent visitor to the restaurant for over 10 years and shared a special bond with the staff. "He's like our grandpa, you know?" General Manager Casey Corbin said. The staff had been very generous, and they even threw him a party to celebrate his 78th birthday. However, the staff noticed that Hicks had suddenly stopped showing up at the restaurant. A few days passed, and the staff grew concerned. That's when Stallworth decided to check up on him at his house. "So I just left work, went to his house, and I knocked on the door like two times, and he didn't, he didn't answer. The third time I knocked on it and I didn't hear nothing."
Stallworth then heard the customer asking for "help" and inquiring who was knocking at the door. "And I would say, 'This is Donell.' He said, 'Come in,'" he recalled. When the cook went inside, he witnessed the 78-year-old customer lying on the ground, a condition he had been in for days. He discovered that the elderly man had fallen and suffered multiple fractures in his ribs and also had bruising all over his body.
Fortunately, Stallworth was able to take him to the hospital. The employees at the restaurant have now found him a new apartment close to the restaurant so that they can check on him often. According to CBS, Hicks has recovered from the accident and has even resumed visiting his favorite restaurant. If it weren't for Stallworth and the restaurant employees looking out for him, Hicks wouldn't have been able to help himself out in the dire situation.
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